Fourth International Bioethics, Multiculturalism and Religion Workshop On Social Responsibility in Bioethics

La Cattedra UNESCO di Bioetica e Diritti Umani ha organizzato la quarta Conferenza Internazionale su  “Bioetica, Multiculturalismo e Religione”. Le precedenti si sono svolte a Gerusalemme (2009), Roma (2011) e Hong Kong (2013). 

Three international conferences and workshop on “Bioethics, Multiculturalism and Religion” were held in Jerusalem (2009), Rome (2011) and Hong Kong (2013).  These academic activities sought to foster the art of convergence and cooperation in global ethics among experts in bioethics coming from the world religions including Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.

Anahuac University is an UNITWIN privileged partner of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights from its very beginning in 2009. As co-organizer of this international workshop and public conferences which will be held in México City at its campus, this will be one of the commemorative events of the 50^th Anniversary of Anahuac University’s foundation. This event hopes to reinforce its commitment to integral formation and development of individuals and society through positive leadership.

In Mexico 2014 the workshop will focus on the Principle of Social Responsibility and Health from the perspectives of different religions and cultures. Article 14 of the UNESCO Declaration in Bioethics and Human Rights states in part that:

1. The promotion of health and social development for their people is a central purpose of governments that all sectors of society share.
2. Taking into account that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition, progress in science and technology should advance:

(a) access to quality health care and essential medicines, especially for the health of women and children, because health is essential to life itself and must be considered to be a social and human good

…

The meeting in México will consist in a three-day workshop where bioethics experts from Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Daoism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Mesoamerican traditions will gather to discuss different papers submitted for this occasion. The collection of these papers will result in the publication of a book.  As means of publicity and involvement of university community and the public we suggest to organize at Anahuac University one or two open events on topics related to sensible bioethics issues in the light of human rights.  See program.

During the days of the workshop and conference, UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights will set up an art exhibition of the winners of Bioethics Art Competition that have taken place in 2011 and 2013. These artworks have been successfully showed in several art venues and institutions: in the United States (at the UN Headquaters in New York and in Houston), Rome and Hong Kong as a correlate cultural activity and environment to illustrate universal values related to bioethics in the light of human rights. The mission of this competition as well as the themes and pictures of the works of art can be found at: www.bioethicsart.org.